Vice President for Public Safety Kathleen Shields Anderson announced the appointment of Derrick Wood as the new chief of police for the University of Pennsylvania Police Department on Tuesday.
Wood has served as the interim chief of police since former Penn Chief of Police Gary Williams transitioned into a new role as the Division of Public Safety's director of community outreach and engagement in September 2024. According to DPS, Wood will oversee crime prevention, law enforcement, and safety education on and off campus.
In his new role, Wood will also lead a team of 121 sworn officers, interacting with various stakeholders to strengthen community safety and security.
“Derrick will apply his years of experience in building relationships with all members of the community along with his attention to supporting and uplifting his team and partners in his role as Chief,” Shields Anderson wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
Wood served as deputy chief of operations when he joined DPS in July 2023. Before Penn, Wood was a police inspector for the Philadelphia Police Department for 24 years, later becoming the chief of the Norristown Police Department. At the PPD, he oversaw the largest patrol division in Philadelphia, with a team of over 800 personnel dedicated to a 22-square-mile region of the city.
He also worked to develop police-driven programs to improve how police officers engage with Philadelphia residents, such as providing SAT tutoring for high school students, interacting with teens in schools, connecting adults lacking high school diplomas with GED programs, and hosting job fairs.
Wood holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Holy Family University in Philadelphia.
Wood's appointment follows the leadership of Williams, who served as chief of police prior to transitioning into a new role as director of community outreach and engagement. When Williams was first announced as chief of police in 2023, he told the DP that his goals were to prioritize "safety and security," along with the connection between the University and West Philadelphia communities.
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During his time with DPS, Williams has helped develop the Strategic Crime Prevention West End Grid Patrol, was an emergency response team leader, and was a negotiation team member for the Division of Public Safety Union. Williams was also involved with community outreach programs, such as the Police Athletic League, which aims to engage with local children.
